Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-20
THE COMMISSIONERS.
A DATE FIXED FOR fHR HEARING OF THB
LONG AND SHORT HAUL
C0nplaints-Ths Reply 10 the Minneapolis hillsrs-
A Stove Firm Who Wouldn't Sign
Petition Against the Blll-LOng and
Short Haul Suspensions.

WASHINGTON, ApTn lS--IhS AhOoi
State Commerce Commission has decided
to hear representatives of the traDs-Conti-
mental railroads on Thursday of this week,
upon their application for suspension OF
the hong and short haul feature Of the
Interstate Commerce law.
The Commission has replied to Lewis
Furz, President of the st. Louis Millers'
Association, acknowledging the receipt Of
a petition from the association praying re-
liefagainst the discriminating rates on -four
from Minneapolis under the '.transit"
system which is alleged to preclude mills
south or east of Minneapolis from cOmpet-
ing with that point. for domestic or for
eign trade.
The Commission does not understand
the petition to complain of the rates estab-
lished under the Interstate Commerce
law, but that it, on the contrary, comedies
that the new rates are reasonable as COM
pared with those from st. Louis. The
complaint is that there is on hand large
accumulation Of what is known as tran
sits, " which must control rates until they
are worked off, and that, as consequence,
the new rates are Ineffective except as
applied to local points between Minneapolis
and Chicago. Thus, while the tariff is 36
cents per barrel from Minneapolis to Chi
cago, the actual rate Is still 10 cents per
barrel, and the milling interests in all
other sections of the country are paralyzed
L 4. mir
1t is clear, the letter continues, that the
Commission could not grant relief by Civ
ing to st. Louis exceptional advantages
corresponding to those which Minneapolis
is said now TO enjoy. That would be a
discrimination against other localities as
| indefensible and as much opposed to the
spirit of the law as the transit system
! itself. Neither could the Commission
compel the railroads upon which st. Louis
depends to reduce their rates on flour to
the level of what it is said to be in the act
ual rates from Minneapolis when, as the
petitian comedies, higher rate is season.
able. If the transit" system is pernic-
ious, it would be obviously unwarrant
able for the Commission to order or sane
ton anything that would extend or per-
petuate the mischief.
'It may be questionable, perhaps" the
Commissioner says, whether the so-called
'transi.s have such validity in law that the
companies issuing them are bound to give
transportation according to their terms
when the effect would be to discriminate
in favor of one or more localities against
others. That question is not brought be-
fore us by your petition and could only be
raised in some proceeding which would di-
rectly present it and in which parties in
teIested would have opportunity to be
hearSp
SATISFIED WITH 1T.
Some of the stove makers of New York
prepared n printed petition setting forth
their grievances, and sent it to their fel-
lOw-manutacturers in all parts of the coun-
try. 1t was accompanied by q printed
invitation to sign and return, and by the
statement that "the petitions will be pre-
sented to the Inter State Commissioners all
at one time IN such manner rs will best
serve our mutual interests"
One of the petitions aud one of the invi-.I
tations has reached the Commission pre-
maturely. The petition bears across its
lace the IOllOwlng:
any DEAR SIR:-It gives us much
pleasure TO say as far as the rates go,
taking equal distance into consideration
between Philadelphia and points in New
York to the west, they are equitable, and
will add, it is the first time in twenty
years we have been able to say this. For
this much we feel grateful to the Inter
State Commerce bill"
This endorsement bears the signature
of a Philadelphia firm. Temporary orders
were made suspending the fourth section of
the act on application of the Norfolk aud
Southern Railroad Company, and Cincin-
natl, New Orleans and Texas Railroad. As
to points south of the Ohio and east of the
Mississippi, and also on petition 'of the
Texas and Pacific Railroad as to freights.